Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will allow the 14 days of quarantining in circumstances in which a person does not receive a jobseeker’s payment to be counted as part of the qualifying period in which he or she is seeking to take up a course, such as in the case of a person (details supplied) who is being denied access to the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, due to the number of days needed for the qualifying period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38894/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department’s records indicate that the person concerned made two applications for Jobseeker’s Allowance, one online application on the 10 April 2020 and a second application by paper form on 14 May 2020. Jobseeker’s Allowance was awarded from 18 May 2020 with a commencement date of 10 April 2020.A quarantine period of 14 days was not applied to the claim commencement date.

Jobseeker claims are awarded from date of application. However, claims may be backdated where a claimant can prove to the satisfaction of the Deciding Officer that the qualifying conditions throughout the period were satisfied and that there was good cause for delay in making the claim.

I have been informed that the person concerned has been contacted by an official from my Department in relation to his backdate request. This request will be considered and a decision will issue once the necessary supporting documentation has been submitted.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.